Wow, that's one long blog post!

So much to say! Our fall has been so busy and fun I wanted to hurry and jot it all down,I debated with putting up many small posts of all the different things that have been going on with us this fall, but decided on one long mother of a post, so go get the popcorn! (Don't worry, it's mostly pictures!) I never got around to posting the first day of school. Ella is off to 2nd grade. 2ND GRADE!!! And the changes in her are nonstop. She cruises to school with a group ofher friends, and really doesn't need me any more. I'm still trying to get used to this little grown up. Then Zoe started her 2nd year of pre-school with her new teacher, Miss Katie. I love preschool, but I sure wish it was every day!

With the start of school, also came the start of another soccer season. Ella insists on playing, and definitely loves the social aspect of it. Zoe is really getting into it, and isn't

afraid to chase after that ball. I have to say, with two games going on at the same time and a crying Max to maneuver between the two, I wouldn't cry if they decided they never wanted to play again. I'm just sayin'. We also had a whole other round of races this fall. Beginning with a triathlon that Andy and I both did along with some his brotha's and sista'-in-laws called the Share-A-Smile. It's a shorty but tradition says we do it every year. Ella also did a short version of this and her own tri in Murray. And, as you may recall, there was Andy's 100 mile run and a few weeks later he did the "Dirty Dash"....twice. A 10K in the mud he did in the morning with his brotha's and with his buddies in the afternoon. Wish I could've done that one...who's in to do it with me next year?

I really love fall in the Heber Valley. It is gorgeous and there is so much to do. One afternoon I took the kids up to the Wasatch State Park and there is an old pioneer apple orchard there. We spent the afternoon picking apples and picnicking and hiking.

A few weeks ago I went to St. George with two of my friends, Camille and Christie, for a girls only trip. I've never left my family like that before but it was so much FUN until...dum dum dummm...I wrecked our car in the middle of St. George! Oopsies. It was a fender bender (as in to say, the other car was barely bended) but I can honestly say it wasn't completely my fault, and if it weren't for my friend, Christie's, in-laws, we might still be down there. That poor Honda, I don't know why it hates me, every time I drive it it decides to break something. Andy spent a few days fixing it up, and it's still running and probably will be FOREVER!

We decided to try out Cornbellies at Thanksgiving Point this year. We've never done it before, but the weather has been so gorgeous we finally caved. And I'm actually going to say it was worth the drive and cost and everything. You can

spend the whole day there (if you don't have a two year old) and have tons to do. We went with my sister, Laura, and her family and had a great time. Max loved the "cow" rides behind the tractor and Ella was a PRO at the climbing wall and Zoe got to play in Princessland with Charly. Good times. Good times.

Every time we drive past Bridal Veil Falls, Max gets very excited and starts screaming "Water! Water!" Actually, he screams that at any sort of outdoor liquid: lakes, rivers, sprinklers,

swimming pools...whatever, he is very passionate about his water. So the other day I decided to let him get up close and personal. Just so you know...the mountains are COLD in the mornings! It was 11:00 a.m. but the moutain shadow about froze us out. Still, they had a great time. And Max made a point of saying, "Bye bye Water!"

Next we headed to the Scarecrow festival in Midway. A nice, easy outing that the kids still haven't stopped talking about. Jack the Pumpkin King was my favorite.

So, it's been pretty crazy around here. Add into all of that piano lessons, gymnastics, play practice and jobs...wait, what was that? Did I say "play practice?" Yes, that's right, along with everything else, Andy is in a community theater production of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers! It opens this weekend, if you can believe it! He's playing Benjamin, and it's going to be great! There will be many pictures of that to come!

To wrap things up, here are a few pictures of the annual carving of the pumpkins. Amazing, isn't it, how the kids always forget that they have clean the guts out first? But the girls were troopers and actually did a lot of it themselves. Ella carved hers completely by herself, which made me a very proud mama, since I pride myself in my mad pumpkin carving skills. I'll take you on anytime, Fred!